There are 10 coins laid out on a table in a straight line

* * * * * * * * * *
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The goal is to get 5 stacks of 2 coins each in only 5 jumps.
A coin must jump over exactly 2 other coins and land on a third.
Coins may jump in either direction.

Example:
Jump 1: Jump coin 10 on top of coin 7.
Jump 2: Jump coin 8 on top of coin 6. This is possible since coin 7 and 10 now form a stack of two coins.

1st move) Move the fifth coin to the second one and renumber

      1, 2 (2 coins now), 3,4,5,6,7,8,9

2nd move) Move the current fifth (formerly sixth) to the 8th (formerly 9th) and renumber

       1, 2 (2), 3,4,5,6,7(2), 8

3rd move) Move the first to fourth and renumber

      1(2), 2, 3(2), 4, 5, 6(2), 7

4th move) Move the last to 4th (originally 7th) and renumber

      1(2), 2, 3(2), 4(2),5,6(2)

5th move) Move the 2nd (originally 3rd) to 5th (originally 8th) and renumber

       1(2), 2(2), 3(2), 4(2), 5(2).

 

Posted by doremi on 2004-10-25 20:53:59